U.S. patent number 7,062,547 [Application Number 09/961,919] was granted by the patent office on 2006-06-13 for method and system for providing a central repository for client-specific accessibility.
This patent grant is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Frances C Brown, Susan Crayne, Samuel R. Detweiler, Peter Gustav Fairweather, Vicki Lynne Hanson, Richard Scott Schwerdtfeger, Beth Rush Tibbitts, Sharon Mary Trewin.
United States Patent |
7,062,547 |
Brown , et al. |
June 13, 2006 |
Method and system for providing a central repository for
client-specific accessibility
Abstract
A method and system that provide a central repository for client
specific accessibility applications to a user from an accessible
server. The repository is updated on a periodic basis with new
solutions provided by the service provider, who also manages
licensing agreements between the user and the owner of the
accessibility application. Accessibility programs, such as page
magnification, screen readers, background changes, input
modification, etc., are downloaded into the client device being
used by the user customer by clicking link buttons from a web page
generated by the service provider's server. The accessibility
programs downloaded are then resident on the client device until
changed by the user. In a preferred embodiment, the service
provider also provides a universal transcoding service to apply the
user selected accessibility transformations to any type of client
device used by the user.
Inventors: |
Brown; Frances C (Austin,
TX), Crayne; Susan (Hartsdale, NY), Detweiler; Samuel
R. (Austin, TX), Fairweather; Peter Gustav (Yorktown
Heights, NY), Hanson; Vicki Lynne (Chappaqua, NY),
Schwerdtfeger; Richard Scott (Round Rock, TX), Tibbitts;
Beth Rush (Lexington, KY), Trewin; Sharon Mary (Sleepy
Hollow, NY) |
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation (Armonk, NY)
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Family
ID: |
25505183 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/961,919 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2001 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20030061317 A1 |
Mar 27, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/221; 715/865;
709/246; 707/E17.121 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
16/9577 (20190101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
15/177 (20060101); G06F 15/16 (20060101); G06F
17/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;709/246 ;717/173
;715/865 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2 346 238 |
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Feb 2000 |
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GB |
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08241155 |
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Sep 1996 |
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JP |
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WO 99/64967 |
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Dec 1999 |
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WO |
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WO 00/03525 |
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Jan 2000 |
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WO |
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WO 00/49530 |
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Aug 2000 |
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WO |
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Other References
"A Process for Selective Routing of Servlet Content to Transcoding
Modules", Research Disclosure, (Jun. 1999/889), IBM Corporation,
pp. 889-890. cited by other .
Network Working Group, RFC 2616. cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Follansbee; John A.
Assistant Examiner: Joo; Joshua
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Carwell; Robert M. Gerhardt; Diana
L. Dillon & Yudell LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for providing a central repository of accessibility
applications on a computer network, said method comprising:
connecting a proxy machine to a client device; sending to the
client device, from the proxy machine, a centralized list of
accessibility applications on a web page, wherein said web page
comprises a plurality of links capable of downloading the
accessibility applications, and wherein at least one of the
accessibility applications is a computer transformer program that
is specifically capable of identifying input errors that are caused
by a disability of a specific user of the client device, and
wherein said input error is identifiable and auto-correctable
through a combination of timing criteria and logical
auto-correction algorithms that are specific for the disability of
the specific user, and wherein the timing criteria identify input
errors for a specific user according to a single key being
repeatedly struck within a time period described by the timing
criteria; activating at the client device at least one of the
plurality of links to download said computer transformer program
into the client device; and auto-correcting said input error using
said downloaded computer transformer program.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising entering into the web
page a device type of the client device that is downloading said at
least one of the accessibility applications.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessibility application is
a computer program capable of transforming a content style to be
received by the client device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transcoding a content
format of a web page being received by the client device into a
format understandable by the client device.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one of the
accessibility applications is a client-specific accessibility
application for enhancing accessibility of the client operating
system.
6. A system for providing a central repository of accessibility
applications on a computer network, said system comprising: means
for connecting a proxy machine to a client device; means for
sending to the client device, from the proxy machine, a centralized
list of accessibility applications on a web page, wherein said web
page comprises a plurality of links capable of downloading the
accessibility applications, and wherein at least one of the
accessibility applications is a computer transformer program that
is specifically capable of correcting input errors that are caused
by a disability of a specific user of the client device, and
wherein said input error is correctable through a combination of
timing criteria and logical auto-correction algorithms that are
specific for the disability of the specific user, and wherein the
timing criteria identify input errors for a specific user according
to a single key being repeatedly struck within a time period
described by the timing criteria; means for activating at the
client device at least one of the plurality of links to download
said computer transformer program into the client device; and means
for correcting said input error using said downloaded computer
transformer program.
7. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for entering
into the web page a device type of the client device that is
downloading said at least one of the accessibility
applications.
8. The system of claim 6, wherein the accessibility application is
a computer program capable of transforming a content style to be
received by the client device.
9. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for transcoding
a content format being received by the client device into a format
understandable by the client device.
10. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one of the
accessibility applications is a client-specific accessibility
application for enhancing accessibility of the client operating
system.
11. A computer-readable recording medium having a stored computer
program product for providing a central repository of accessibility
applications on a computer network, said computer program product
comprising: computer program code for connecting a proxy machine to
a client device; computer program code for sending to the client
device, from the proxy machine, a centralized list of accessibility
applications on a web page, wherein said web page comprises a
plurality of links capable of downloading the accessibility
applications, and wherein at least one of the accessibility
applications is a computer transformer program that is specifically
capable of correcting input errors that are caused by a disability
of a specific user of the client device, and wherein said input
error is correctable through a combination of timing criteria and
logical auto-correction algorithms that are specific for the
disability of the specific user, and wherein the timing criteria
identify input errors for a specific user according to a single key
being repeatedly struck within a time period described by the
timing criteria; computer program code for activating at the client
device at least one of the plurality of links to download said
computer transformer program into the client device; and computer
program code for correcting said input error using said downloaded
computer transformer program.
12. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 11, further
comprising program code for entering into a web page a device type
of the client device that is downloading at least one of the
accessibility applications.
13. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 11 wherein the
accessibility application is a computer program capable of
transforming a content style to be received by the client
device.
14. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 11, further
comprising computer program code capable of transcoding a content
format being received by the client device into a format
understandable by the client device.
15. The computer-readable recording medium of claim 11, further
comprising computer program code for said at least one of the
accessibility applications being a client-specific accessibility
application for enhancing accessibility of the client operating
system.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is related to the following application,
which is filed on even date herewith and incorporated herein by
reference: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/962,000, now U.S.
Pat. No. 6,970,918.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of computer
networks, and, in particular, to the connection between a user
device and a content server. Still more particularly, the present
invention relates to an improved method and system for providing a
repository of accessibility applications to a disabled client
user.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet comprises a vast network of heterogenous computers and
sub-networks all communicating together to allow for global
exchange of information. The World Wide Web (WWW) is one of the
most popular information services on the Internet. The WWW uses
browser software to decipher HyperText links to other documents or
files located on remote computers, all of which are connected to
the Internet. Browsers provide a user-friendly interface that
allows users to easily navigate from site to site or file to file
around the Internet. Using a browser, a user can access information
in the form of text, audio, video, still pictures and related
multimedia stored on remote computers or content servers.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the Internet and other devices that
may be used to access the Internet. A client device 10, such as a
desktop computer, laptop computer, personal digital assistant
(PDA), onboard vehicle computer, cellular telephone, etc., sends a
request for a Web site, typically under the HyperText Transfer
Protocol (HTTP) to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) 12. ISP 12
establishes a link to an Internet 14, which then passes the HTTP
request to a content server 16. This request is forwarded to a
content provider 18 that is typically a web page addressed by a
Uniform Resource Indicator (URI) such as a Uniform Resource Locator
(URL).
The response from client device 16 is typically in the language of
HyperText Markup Language (HTML), which is the standard language
for creating documents on the World Wide Web (WWW). HTML defines
the structure and layout of a web document by using a variety of
tag commands inserted in the document to specify how the document,
or portion of the document, should be formatted. The response from
content provider 18, is routed back through content server 16,
Internet 14, and ISP 12 to client device 10.
A major problem for the Internet relates to providing access to web
pages to handicapped users, including the visually impaired,
hearing impaired and physically handicapped. Such accessibility for
the visually impaired may consist of transforming the style of
information received from a web page, such as changing print font
sizes, or converting written text and/or graphic information to
aural speech. Accessibility features also relate to modifying how
information is input into the user's device (such as a computer),
to include changing the time delay for auto-repeat functions on a
keyboard for users unable to quickly strike keys, changing mouse
roller ball sensitivity and other changes to input devices to
accommodate physical limitations of the user. Internet
accessibility programs have historically been limited to a
particular application program or operating system for the client
device being used by the handicapped user. Additionally, some web
pages have inherent accessibility functions that can be used only
for that page.
Another problem found in accessibility prior art relates to the
process of transcoding content format from content provider 18 to a
format that is recognizable by the hardware/software of a
particular client device 10. Typically, a response from a web page
is conventionally formatted via standard page description language
such as HTML, which contains text and can reference graphics,
sound, animation and video data. If client device 10 is a pervasive
device, such as a PDA, smart phone, wearable computer, etc., it
typically must communicate in a non-HTML language, and usually
through a dedicated ISP 12. The dedicated ISP 12 directs the
request from the pervasive device to a special URL, typically
sub-defined by content server 16 or content provider 18, to reply
with the appropriate response in the appropriate language, such as
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) for handheld wireless devices
such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smart phones and
communicators. Alternatively, ISP 12 may have the ability to
transcode an HTML response from a content provider 18, but this
ability has historically been limited to a limited predefined
number of content providers. Thus accessibility requires not only
transcoding of content style by changing font size, background
color, etc., for a particular handicapped user, the transcoded
content needs to be in a content format understandable by the
particular type of client device 10 being used.
The problem of transcoding for accessibility is complicated if the
user of client device 10 sends a request to a secure server. Secure
connections in the prior art between a secure content server 16 and
client device 10 establish the requirement that the connection be
inaccessible to any third party. For example, a user making a
purchase over the Internet would want information regarding credit
card numbers and other financial details to be inaccessible to
outside hackers. A secure content server 16 supports any of the
major security protocols that encrypt and decrypt messages to
protect them against third-party tampering. A typical protocol for
a secure connection is the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol,
which uses a public key, typically a code table, to decipher any
coded data. By convention, web pages that require an SSL connection
start with the URL address of "https:" instead of "http:". It is
understood that the socket of an SSL is typically a software
object, not a physical component of a computer system. Thus,
accessibility transcoding of content (and content style and content
format) from secure web pages can only be accomplished if the
transcoder can communicate between client device 10 and secure
content server 16.
It should therefore be apparent that there exists a need for an
accessibility application repository of accessibility
transformation applications downloadable to a client device 10 for
transforming the client system access to content and/or content
style into a format accessible by a disabled user on his client
device 10, as well as transforming input sent from the client
device 10. Such a system should also include the ability to
transcode the content format into a format readable by different
client devices 10 that the user may use. It would further be
desirable to devise a computer program product wherein such a
method may be performed on a computer system. In addition, it would
be desirable to devise a proxy machine having the ability to
provide these transformation applications and optionally transcode
responses from content provider 18 to client device 10 according to
user-defined preferences for accessibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in its preferred embodiment relates to a
method and system that provide a central repository for client
specific accessibility applications to a user from an accessible
server. The repository is updated on a periodic basis with new
solutions provided by the service provider, which also manages
licensing agreements between the user and the owner of the
accessibility application. Accessibility programs, such as page
magnification, screen readers, background changes, input
modification, etc., are downloaded into the client device being
used by the user customer by clicking link buttons from a web page
generated by the service provider's server. The accessibility
programs downloaded are then resident on the client device until
they are changed by the user. In a preferred embodiment, the
service provider also provides a universal transcoding service to
apply the user selected accessibility transformations to any type
of client device used by the user. The above, as well as additional
objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed written description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set
forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as
well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages
thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following
detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of prior art Internet connections;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an Internet connection using an
intermediary server for transcoding; and
FIG. 3 is a high-level flow chart of a method of providing a
central repository for client specific accessibility in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to FIG. 2, there is depicted a block diagram of
the preferred Internet connection between at least one of client
devices 17 and an Internet server 30. Client devices 17 may be any
network connected devices connected through a Local Area Network
(LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN), which a LAN/WAN 15 connects
directly to a proxy machine 11. Such devices may be a desktop
computer, laptop computer, set top box, PDA, Automated Teller
Machine (ATM), or computer kiosk. In addition, client device 17 may
be a cellular telephone, which typically is connected through a
Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN 13 that connects the
cellular telephone to proxy machine 11, either directly or via
LAN/WAN 15.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment proxy machine 11
performs several functions. Proxy machine 11 connects client device
17, as described above, to Internet servers 30, which may be an
Internet service (ISP), Internet Content Provider (ICP), or other
similar gate way devices. Proxy machine 11 acts as a proxy between
client device 17 and Internet server 30, which provides content
from content provider 18, shown in FIG. 1. Access to proxy machine
11 may be through a direct or network connection, and may be staged
using different communication medium. For example, a telephone may
first require transmission through PSTN 13 to a voice server 29.
Requests entering proxy machine 11 are routed, for load balancing,
through network dispatcher 26. After routing has been determined,
the requests are passed to one or more designated transcoders in a
transcoder farm 24. User identification information is passed in
the request and authenticated by a security server 20 based on the
stored user set of protocol. If the user is not known or invalid,
proxy machine 11 will direct the client device's user agent
(browser) to authenticate the user by prompting it for a user I.D.
and password. The authentication information is then be passed to
proxy machine 11.
Once a user has been validated, the designated transcoder will
caresser data base 22 for profile information. In the preferred
embodiment, this profile information is delivered through an
extensible markup language (XML) transcoding directive, which
provides directives to the transcoder showing the user's preferred
transcoding order, format, etc. The designated transcoder will then
retrieve the document from Internet server 30, apply the
transformation and send it back to client device 17. The
transcoding software in proxy machine 11 is designed to handle
dynamic transcoding. To do this, each transcoder stores the
document retrieved in browser form for manipulation by each of the
desired transformations. As a browser, proxy machine 11 works to
separate content, data, and executable script for manipulation by
the transcoder in transcoder farm 24. This manipulation is designed
to improve the accessibility and usability by the disabled or
senior user accessing proxy machine 11. The transcoder functions,
which are based on the internal browser engine of client device 17,
may provide low vision/cognitive transforms, blind transforms, or
other transforms.
Other transcoder functions include support for secure connections.
Intermediary serve 11 may establish a secure socket connection,
preferably in the method and system described in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/962,000, and herein incorporated by
reference in its entirety, to Internet servers 30, and this secure
connection may be accessed from client device 17 through a secure
or non-secure connection, depending on user preference and set up
of proxy machine 11. In addition, transcoder functions may provide
access to intermediary web applications 28, which may be mail,
settings, bookmarks, history lists, or other features typically
associated with a browser. Therefore, in this application, proxy
machine 11 acts a proxy browser providing functions in intermediary
web application 28.
User data base 22 functions primarily to provide user profiles
specific for a client. User profiles show client content style
preferences for accessibility display of content, and these
profiles are typically conveyed to the transcoder in transcoder
farm 24 through an XML transcode directive. These same user
profiles may be passed through intermediary web applications 28,
which are then transcoded in transcoder farm 24 according to the
user profile.
Referring again now to FIG. 2, as a request is sent from client
device 17 to proxy machine 11, the request is sent to Internet
server 30 after the client has been authenticated as an authorized
user of proxy machine 11. The response is then returned from
Internet server 30, typically in HTML format, where it is
transcoded in transcoder farm 24 according to a user profile found
in user data base 22. The transcoder in transcoder farm 24 then
applies the appropriate transform, to include those described above
for low vision/cognitive disabilities, blindness, as well as
others, including but not limited to screen readers (converting
text or graphics into aural speech), operating system specific
screen magnifiers, text-to-speech transforms and other operating
system accessibility programs.
Proxy machine 11 is able to transcode both for content style
transformation as well as device-specific content format
transcoding. That is, some transcoders in transcoder farm 24 serve
to transform content style into a form that is more accessible to
the user, such as increasing font size, changing control buttons,
changing background, etc. for easier readability by a low vision
user, or even for changing written text into aural speech for the
totally blind user, while other transcoders in transcoder farm 24
serve to transform content format into a format understandable by
the particular type of client device 17, such as a PDA, cellular
phone, laptop computer, etc.
In addition, transcoders in transcoder farm 24 can change input
from client device 17 going to proxy machine 11 for passing on to
Internet server 30. For example, when the user of client device 17
types back a response to a query from Internet server 30, that user
may have a physical disability such as palsy, in which specific
typewriter keys are inadvertently repeatedly struck. The user
profile in user data base 22, having this information, can direct a
transcoder in transcoder farm 24 to automatically correct such
double strikes, typically through a combination of timing criteria
and logical autocorrection algorithms.
Proxy machine 11 is also able to transcode for device-specific
transcoding, such as transcoding content designed in HTML format
for a desktop computer into a suitable format, such as WAP, for a
PDA. The device-specific transcode can also include the content
style transformation. For example, content style may be magnified
for any client device 17 used by the user, whether it is a desktop
computer or a PDA. By having a user profile stored in proxy machine
11 that is unique for a user, the user is then able to utilize a
variety of client devices 17, by all having access to the user's
profile in user data base 22. For example, if the user needs to
have image magnified, background removed, and a different display
color on a desktop computer, the same user preferences would be
automatically applied to any computer used by that user when going
through proxy machine 11. Thus the user's own laptop, a borrowed
desktop, or a public computer terminal would all display content
from any Web site in the same format as defined by that user.
Reference is now made to FIG. 3, a high-level flowchart describing
a preferred embodiment of the present invention for accessing a
central repository of client specific accessibility applications.
The repository is preferably updated on a periodic basis with new
solutions provided by the service provider, and new solutions may
optionally be added by the customer. As depicted in block 32, the
user registers for the service, typically by accessing a secure web
page provided by the service provider of the central repository of
applications. Once registered, the user can then access a
designated web page provided by the accessibility application
server, as illustrated in block 34. The user then logs into the web
service machine and enters the type of client device 17 being used,
as depicted in blocks 36 and 38. A query, as illustrated in block
40, is made as to whether client device 17 has already installed a
web installation tool for downloading the accessibility
applications. If not, such a web installation tool is installed on
client device 17, as shown in block 42. In the preferred
embodiment, the web installation tool is a browser plug-in. The
user then accesses the service generated web page that contains
links to various accessibility applications for downloading, as
described in block 44. As illustrated in block 46, the user selects
which device-dependent accessibility solution is desired, and the
solution is downloaded and installed on the client device 17, as
described in block 48. The software installer verifies the version
of the application requested, locates the source server of the
application if it is not resident on proxy machine 11, accesses a
package install code, checks for product prerequisites for
operating system, etc., accesses the application source files,
installs the application and removes any temporary files, if
necessary. In the preferred embodiment, the accessibility
applications available for downloading are client-specific
accessibility applications that enhance the specific client's
accessibility of application programs, web-page content, the
client's operating system and any other application used by the
client.
While not shown in FIG. 3, it is understood that in a preferred
embodiment the present invention may also or alternatively
transform an input content from client device 17 being sent to
proxy machine 11, such transformation including correcting
keystroke errors performed by a physically disabled user. In
addition, it is understood that in a preferred embodiment proxy
machine 11 can transcode content style from any web page for
readability on any type of client device 17 used by the user for
which transcoders are available in transcoding farm 24, and the
transforms applied by the accessibility application(s) selected by
the user will be utilized when the content is transcoded into a
format used by an alternate type of client device 17.
As shown in the above description, the present invention provides a
great improvement in the art of providing accessibility service to
clients. By having all accessibility applications in a central
repository found in proxy machine 11, the user is able to quickly
find and access a wide variety of accessibility applications to
make content on a web page accessible. The user does not have to
search for the applications since they are all readily available on
the same web page of the present invention, and the service
provider managing proxy machine 11 can handle licensing issues for
applications selected by the user. As described herein, by
providing to the user a central repository of client-specific
applications, client-specific accessibility problems that cannot be
entirely addressed through a traditional transcoding intermediary
or networked solution can be solved with the present invention.
It is understood that the present invention also includes a method
of doing business that includes providing a service that provides
to the client the inventive method and system described herein.
It is understood and appreciated that instructions from a content
provider directing that the content provided is not to be
transcoded or similarly manipulated should be honored. For example,
a "no-transform directive" in an HTTP header or similar
instructions should be followed, and the content not transcoded or
similarly manipulated according to the instructions of the content
provider. A description that is illustrative of such an instruction
is found in Section 14.9.5 of the 1999 Network Working Group's
HyperText Transfer Protocol HTTP/1.1.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be
made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *